How to use your Core Values to save Energy (and probably money too)

I hear from so many women in midlife that they feel exhausted, depleted and pulled in all directions. They have a hard time saying No to things they don’t want to do, and can’t find the time or energy to do the things they do want to do.

This can be doubly true for women running their businesses, or in Leadership positions, where so much responsibility naturally falls to them. One of the ways I am able to prioritise my time and I am learning to become even better at it ( one of my major lessons from the past year) is to really lean into and rely on my Core Values.

When you know what your Core Values are, it’s easier to figure out how you want to actually spend your time, and then make the conscious decisions you need to to manage your time and energy to ensure you’re engaging most in those activities. This is crucial to feel like you’re living in Alignment - or “in Line” with what matters to you most.

Why Values Matter

Values act as a compass, guiding your decisions and actions. When you know your values, you gain clarity about what truly matters, helping you focus on what will be moving you in the direction of what mattters to you, and making clear what is distracting you form that.

Living according to your values brings a sense of fulfillment, because you are able to more clearly devote your attention to the actions, activities, causes and people that are part of your life purpose. This doesnt mean that you dont have to do things you dont want to, but it does mean a conscious awareness of when those things you don’t want to do are taking up too much of your time and energy.

Which is especially important in the early stages fo being an entreptreneur or solopreneur when. lot of tasks fall to you.

Decision making- comes a lot easier with direction, and being clear on what your values are makes those tough decisions of how to spent time and money a lot easier.

How to Discover Your Core Values

Many of us have adopted values from others, perhaps our families, friends, religious organisations or even our jobs.

But being clear on your OWN Values and what matters to you most NOW is crucial to becoming aware of where you are expending time and energy on what no longer fuels you. Some people have different values for their personal and proffessionnal lives, while others stick to the same for both. This really depends on your work, but its totally up to you.

I first discovered my personal values only about 4 years ago using this sheet from Brene Brown. Now she reccomends only 2 values but I find that so difficult, and sinmce I have the same values for work and life, I have 5.

Basically, you want to choose 3 -5 principles that really resonate with you from a list of principles and use those to guide how you spend your time and energy, from a place of understanding that you may not always be able to live your values 100% - but the more you lean into your time spent on these princeples, the more joy, ease and flow you will feel.

The VALUE of knowing your Values

Knowing your Core Values helps you live with more Ease + Flow and with more Joy + Fulfillment. Simple as that.

Think about it: when you are constantly doing things that matter to you most, that you love and is meaningful to you… how do you feel? You feel energised, happy, motivated.

When you are not living your values, you feel drained, tired, exhausted and “out of alignment” - this causes internal disconnection and makes you feel upset, frustrated, disheartened.

So knowing your values is a key way to cultivate more joy in your personal and professional life. You can find your values using this list from Brene Brown attached above, or this is a prefect time to sign up for IGNITE - my mini Program to connect to your purpose for more direction and fulfillment in 2025.

This 2 week kickstarter is exctly the program you need to begin 2025, to create more opportunities to feel truly fulfilled and happy about all the different aspects of your life, and so you can go and do what you were born to do, making more positive impact in your family, workplace and community.

In conclusion, understanding and aligning with your Core Values is not just a tool for better time management—it's a foundation for living a life that feels purposeful and fulfilling. By identifying what truly matters to you and prioritizing those principles, you create a path of clarity, ease, and joy. This alignment allows you to navigate challenges more easily, make intentional choices that give you more energy, and focus on the areas of life that bring you the most satisfaction.

As you embark on this journey, remember that living in alignment with your values isn’t about perfection; it’s about awareness and conscious effort. Whether you’re juggling the demands of leadership, entrepreneurship, or simply the complexities of daily life, your Core Values serve as your compass, guiding you toward a life that feels authentically yours.